Halloween festivities in Seoul, at least 146 killed in crowd crush, 100 more injured, updates

UPDATE 1: At least 146 people are now reported to have been killed, up to 150 injured during an stampede incident at Halloween festivities in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night, according to Choi Seong-bum, chief of the Yongsan-gu Fire Department.
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UPDATE: A stampede in Seoul that has killed at least 146 people may have been caused by the appearance of a Key-pop singer in the Itaewon bar and discos district.

According to the WTN television channel, in the crowd of people who gathered to celebrate Halloween, someone started a rumor that a certain Key-pop star was sitting in one of the bars. What kind of singer was noticed there is still unknown.

After that, people immediately rushed into the lane where the bar is located, which provoked a stampede.
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At least 120 people have been killed and at least 100 more injured after being crushed by a large crowd pushing forward on a narrow street during Halloween festivities in Itaewon in the South Korean capital Seoul, officials have said.

Officials say it was believed that people were crushed to death after a large crowd began pushing forward in a narrow alley near Hamilton Hotel, a major party spot in Seoul.

A public safety alert was sent via mobile phone to people in the area, urging them to return home as soon as possible.

Emergency vehicles struggled to make their way to and from the site, with roads jammed and pedestrians spilling into traffic. Around 10:45 p.m. one emergency vehicle packed with rescue workers sat in a traffic jam as it tried to make its way to a main road where victims were.

The Itaewon tragedy is the worst peacetime disaster in South Korea since the Sewol ferry sank in 2014, killing more than 300 people.

Itaewon developed as a district of bars, nightclubs and shops catering to American soldiers based nearby in the decades after the Korean War. Now, it is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Seoul, known for its nightlife, young patrons, foreign tourists and stylish restaurants.
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